i am looking for a new toy and EyeTV has caught my eye.
From previous posts (a while ago), i understand there is a problem with the new firewire 200 model (ehmax mayor)? or has it been fixed?
anyone here can give me a hands on user feedback?

is the FW200 much better in quality? or should i get the older USB model?
i need to pair it with my G4 cube or G4 PB connecting to 20" cinema display for my room.
i want a nice clear picture and burning to DVD using my superdrive later.
appreciate all input and ideas. :)

I have seen the picture on both units and from your needs I would say you should get the 200 Firewire. Just a higher quality picture all-around.

If your Powerbook has USB 2.0 you also might want to look at the <A HREF="http://www.elgato.com/index.php?file=products_eyetvwonder&PHPSESSID=aa2201eb4020b9ab4072866f38220811" Target="_blank">ATI eyeTV Wonder</A>, an ATI USB 2.0 device with the elGato software.

Originally, I was shopping for the 200 but picked up a used USB model to see how I'd like it. It's no TiVo, but not bad.

Picture quality is about VHS level. Looks OK on a TV but the 20" display's resolution will probably make the low res recording look awful at full screen. I wouldn't want it to be my regular TV.

However, I was surprised that I don't care about the picture quality as much as I thought I would. I had ideas of capturing all sorts of stuff to archive on DVD (with the 200), but after using the USB model for a while I realize I'd rather just buy the real thing on DVD and save myself the work of organizing and editing TV broadcasts if I'm that into it. With the USB file sizes stay relatively low and I just use it to catch the shows I miss, watch then delete. Perfectly adequate for that.

Either way, it's fun and you'll find it liberating to watch TV when it suits YOUR schedule. :cool:

sinjin, your answer is very helpful, i can see myself doing what you have suggested.
in the end of the day, i probably just need it to catch a show or two i missed on tv.
the price of ETV200 is still quite high, for the smae price i can get a DVD recorder from future shop with change.

Or, you could get a PVR from Rogers or ExpressVu for a few extra bucks a month on your cable bill. Totally changes the way you watch TV. ie- you watch only the good stuff. Uses Mpeg2 compression like a DVD. If I want to preserve the recording I record it onto my stand alone DVD recorder. Yes, I'm a fool with my money. The Pioneer DVD recorder was only $339 though.

The PVR does have FW ports on it but they do nothing. I tried. They are for future use.

sinjin, your answer is very helpful, i can see myself doing what you have suggested.
in the end of the day, i probably just need it to catch a show or two i missed on tv.
the price of ETV200 is still quite high, for the smae price i can get a DVD recorder from future shop with change.
Glad to help :) There was something in the tone of your post that sounded just like me when I started getting interested in EyeTV so I thought it would be good to lay out my "evolution."

I recommend you watch eBay for 200's and settle for a USB only if the price is right.

The Cable company PVRs sound interesting, but I'm wary of them. I don't know if it's justified or not, just all this hype I hear about the media conglomerates fighting to control your PVR and force you to watch commercials or delete your content or not allow you to record it or move it to other media etc etc. Probably all US news, but I'm paranoid. Like how TiVo knew how many people were rewinding and watching Janet Jackson's nip-slip over and over. It all makes me feel dirty (the thought of being monitored, that is, not Janet ;))!

I picked up the EyeTV 200 for the special price when it was introduced, so I got it cheaper that it is available for now. I chose it over the EyeTV USB as it encoded in MPEG4 format and had a better picture quality.

I got it as I wanted to convert all my old VHS tapes (that go back to 1991) to DVD, infact I am working on one of those tapes right now. One thing I did notice that the video quality that you get on the finished product really depends on the speed of your system and the amount of Ram installed in your system.

I first used it on my B&W G3 with a G4/500Mhz upgrade and 1gb ram and it was choppy... :( I am now using on my new Quicksilver G4/800Mhz with 1gb ram and the captured product is much smoother and of better finished quality.

The other thing that I noticed with this product is that you have to record small things if you plan to save them to DVD in the end. I noticed that if you record a full 2hour event and then try to save that the DVD you tend to start to overwhelm the hard drive throughput.

All in all, I am pleased with the EyeTV 200, I just wish they would come out with an online Canadian Cable listing for it... :)

MrVermin

firewire 200??? :confused: did i miss something? i thought it was only 400 or 800.

firewire 200??? :confused: did i miss something? i thought it was only 400 or 800.
The EyeTV 200 runs on Firewire. Whereas the original runs on USB 1.1.

Pundits are advising people to buy the EyeTV 500 HD while it is still available since it will be immune to the broadcast flags that will disable HD recording by July of this year.

As well, regarding the Rogers PVR, it's too bad that it isn't the Motorola 6400 series PVRs that Shaw/Cogeco have rolled out WITH FIREWIRE ENABLED. People have successfully ported HD content to their Macs via this means.

I just checked the prices on the Elgato site.... $329 for the EyeTV 200 and $349 for the EyeTV 500 with HDTV..... Makes me glad I got the 200 when I did, only paid $150 for it as an intruductory special when it was introduced...

If I was to buy one now and had the choice of the 200 or 500, for the price I would get the 500 hands down....

MrVermin

The Cable company PVRs sound interesting, but I'm wary of them. I don't know if it's justified or not, just all this hype I hear about the media conglomerates fighting to control your PVR and force you to watch commercials or delete your content or not allow you to record it or move it to other media etc etc. Probably all US news, but I'm paranoid.

the rogers PVR does not force you to watch commercials.
it also does not make you delete content until you want to.
you can also record to your vcr from the PVR as well.

speaking from within the walls of Rogers - there is no news of any of this being changed as well -

speaking unbias-ly - the PVR for your TV is very very cool

At Carbon we carry the eyeTV 200 and 500 for the same price, $499 CAN.